LAS VEGAS – Already down two defensemen in Jake Muzzin and Derek Forbort, the Kings woke up Thursday morning to the news that defenseman Drew Doughty would be called in by NHL Player Safety for a check on Vegas forward William Carrier during the third period of the Golden Knights’ 1-0 victory in Game 1 of the teams’ playoff series at T-Mobile Arena.

NHL Player Safety tweeted early Thursday that Doughty would have a hearing “for an illegal check to the head of Vegas’ William Carrier.” At about 4:15 p.m., it announced Doughty had been suspended one game for the hit, meaning Doughty will miss Game 2 of the series on Friday night.

Even though it was determined that initial contact was made with Carrier’s arm, the main point of contact became his head. Rule 48.1 states: “A hit resulting in contact with an opponent’s head where the head was the main point of contact and such contact to the head was avoidable is not permitted.”

Doughty was asked in the morning what his team will do if he is suspended.

“Hopefully, they’ll have me,” he said. “I don’t know. But they’re just going to have to go out there and play and play as hard as they can and they’ll do a good job.”

He was also queried as to whether he was surprised there was going to be a hearing.

“I’m not supposed to comment on any of that stuff right now,” he said.

Kings forward Dustin Brown, not knowing what would happen in the hearing, described what Doughty means to the team.

“He’s the best defenseman in the league, so it’s a huge hole,” Brown said. “But you deal with that when it comes. It’s the playoffs – you find ways to win.”

Kings coach John Stevens didn’t want to deal in what-ifs, saying he was “optimistic and hopeful” that a potential suspension is not an issue.

“But if it is, then the next man up, obviously,” he said.

Muzzin update

Muzzin skated again Thursday, but with no contact. Stevens said there was no significant update on his availability.

“Only that he’s continued to progress along, get him on the ice,” he said. “Have not talked to the trainer since he skated today, so I think every day he’s getting closer. But what that means, I’m not sure yet.”

Marc-Andre Fleury on fans

The T-Mobile Arena crowd of 18,479 went wild any time the expansion Golden Knights did anything well Wednesday. Once the final seconds ticked off the click, they voiced their pleasure even more for their team’s first playoff victory.

Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who stopped 30 shots, spoke in goose-bump tones about what it was like.

“That was good,” he said. “I was getting excited to see how much time was left. I knew because the crowd was yelling, so that was a good thing. I think that’s the loudest I’ve heard this building. It was rocking.”

It wasn’t just T-Mobile.

“Oh, yeah, the energy in the building was amazing,” Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “Not only today, it was the whole town throughout the past few days. It was just fun to be part of that.”